Art of and mold for making rubber tires.



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APP/L 1,192,994. Patentelxug. 1,1916.

, 2 SHEEv TTTTTTTT 1- l STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. j, 'i I MARK-A. DEES, -OF ST.LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN TIRE COMPANY, OF

: ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION.

- To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, Manic A; Duns, a citizen of the United States of'Aniericz and a resident of the city AoffSt. Louis and State `tion, is to produce A 26 more properly ,ter

fof Missouri, have invented certain new and useful, Improvements in the Art oi and -Mlds for Making Rubber Tires, of which the following is affull., clear yand exact description, reference beinghad to the accomkpanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the art of making tires having bodies of rubber, or rubber ceinpound, and also .to a

mold used in carrying out myimproveinent in the art ofk making tires. `1 l The principal obiect of my present inven- "solid, or what'may be d a seini-solid'tire, in Ysuch la manner `that the rubber or rubber compound in th'ebodyl of the tire 'is eoin` pacted -to a maximum degree `previous to vulcanization of the raw rubber.

A futherobject ofthe invention is to lprovide for thep'roduction of the tire of the kindstatedat aminimum'of expense. A further object of the invention to fol- -lowsuch steps in the manufacturev of a tire of the description1 referred to whereby 1 pro;

duce atire havinga thickand compact tread,

y Side walls and baseywithin which is an annular cavity located adjacent Vto the tire base, serving to provide an annular arch ex tending throughout thecircle of the tire, thereby affording cinici-trinity for inward exure of theV tread 'when subjected to severe pressure, and lateral flexu re of the side walls undersimilar pressure, both V of such dis- 4l'ilaeements rendering the tire much more resilient than the usual solid tire.

Figure I is a top or plan view of themold utilized in carrying out in'y, improvement in ilar to Fig. 1l with the parts in the mold illustrated as they appear previous t'o com-f the art of making tires. II isa-vertical cross sectionthrough the mold, With` a tire formed? therein. Fig. 1H is a view simplete lclosure of the mold,` and consequent displacement ot' the raw tire material therein produced by the closure of theinohh Fig. 1V is anl enlarged-cross section oi: the pres- `sure medium. receiving' elements incorpo-k ratedin a, tire in earrying'out 'my'inventioir In'carrying out. my improvement 1n .the Aart'uof making tires, Iprefeirblywutilize the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application med December 23, 1912. serial No. 733.211.

of the niold sections.

ART or AND Moin ron MAKING nUiiiER Tinus.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

'i mold in the accompanying drawings, a de.-

side with a vertical annular groove l. ln *the mold section 2 `are vel-Lim] ,'mmlmar.

grooves 5 and that, respectively,oppose -the grooves 3 and Jf.

7 designates a head ring located within the mold, and fittedihi the grooves 3' and 5.

S is a head ring iitting in the grooves al and (3 of the mold sections. Both of these head rings span and close the joints between the mold sections with which they have sliding engagement to -perniit the adjustment of one mold section relative to the other when ythe mold is closed to confine the material of` ay raw tire in the lmold cavity previous to carrying out the steps of my 'improvement in the art oi making tires.l It should be noted that the head ring 7 is intended to receive the basey of the raw tire, when placed in the mold, yand serves as ahaeking for such base while the finished tire is being produced. The hea'd ring .8

serves as a facing niembeiftor thetread df".A

the tire, in, addition to its service as a elosure -for the outer circumference ol the mold cavity. y To permit of the head ring 8 performing the first mentioned function, the

' mold sections 1 and 2 are spaced from each otherat the outei' section of the mold cavity to furnish a gap through which the tire ma 'tei'ial' may he delivered to `the head riiig 8.

. The opposing and contacting faces ofthe mold sections and the head ring 8 are parallel. with each other, as seen most clearly Iin Fig. II and, due to such engagement, l -iori'n joints between the outer faces of the mold sections nearest theinoldcavity and V,the inner face of the head r'ing S. through 'which' the material of a tire being molded cannot be expressed when such material isforced outwardly toward the head ring.'

"My mold includes, in addition ,tov the teaturcs already described, means Wlieieby.`air,

water, ro r,0tli er fluid. may be delivered tigthe interioroffthe mold, Such means preferably. `comprising a conducting pipe 9 that leads through the head ring 7. f p

i cavity therein, and the displacement of I have shown in the drawings comprises a` In following my improvement in the art `will permit ot' a fluid being circulated into the raw tire for theproduction of amannulir t ie tire body to the wall of the mold cavity, thereby forming tl'ietire into intended contour. The means just referred to which rubber tube 12 of ring form, which extends throughout the circle of the raw tire at the point at which the tube is laid therein. IVithin this tube is a separating medium, preferably strips 13, of paper, by which the walls of the tube are prevented from adhering to each other, and the tube is placed in such condition that there will be no interference by adhesion of its walls such as would prevent inflation of the tube introduced thereinto through the fiuid. conducting pipe 9, to which the tube 12 is at` tached, as illustrated in the drawing.

The fluid receiving tube 12 located within the raw tire, as explained, is preferably inclosed within an envelop 14, that may be of fabric, or other suitable material, and which is provided with overlapping portions located between the tube and. the outer circle of the raw tire. This envelop serves as a separating medium between'the tube .12 and the rawmaterial in thetire; and its over lapping portions being locatedas stated, are capable of movement upon each other when the tube 12 is inflated for displacementot the raw rubber body 10, as previously mentioned; and the envelop serves, during its opening movement to regulate the expansion of the tube at all points, in order that the displacing pressure against the raw rubber will be equalized andsimilar throughout the` tire.

While I have s hown a rubber tube as a means for permitting the ingress ot' fluid and its circulation throughout the r/aw tire Jfor the purpose of displacing the rubber, it is obvious that any other suitable medium may be used in lieu of the rubber tube, which will permit of the entrance into the tire as intended and the circulation of the iiuid iny an annular passageway within the tire.

I desire to add that the raw bodyof a tire produced in accordance with my improvement does not need to be laid up with care insofar as its form is concerned, but may be' produced in an irregular shape, such as that illustrated in Fig. III. The body 'should by fluid however, bypreference be of greater' width than it will be in the finished tire, as by so shaping it, I provide for the material vin the body being displaced outwardly-toward the f outer circle of the mold cavity, when the mold is closed fromtthe condition shown in Fig. III to the condition shown in` Fig. II.

It will be understood from the foregoing is confined in the mold provided for its reA ception, then introducing the lraw tire into the mold, and closing the mold so that the raw material of the tire will be confined in the mold cavity without exndation of the tire material therefrom, and' `finallyintroduringa {iuid under pressure intothe tire at the point where the means for permit-` ting circulation of {'luid is located. Upon the introduction of the finiti under pressure, it circulates in the raw tire throughout an annular channel made possible owing to the presence of the means in the tire referred to,

and arts ,to displace the rubber or rubber compound of the tire into contact with the walls of the mold cavity, with the result of rendering the rubber or rubber compound tire body very dense and compact, while at the saine time producing an annular channel within the tire that renders the latter more resilient than any solid rubber tire. When the raw tire has been produced in the inanner herein described, the mold containing the tire may be subjected to heat in any prei ferred manner to vulcanize the tube.

It will be understood from the `foi'eg, oiiig and from the drawings tliat the` annular tube 'l2 and the envelop 14 surrounding it are incorporated initially in the tire structure in a defiated and collapsed condition and that therefore .these parts 'initially occupy affito a position much less remote from the outer circle of the mold cavity in which the tire is formed than the outer Jircle oi thel tube occupies when in its inflated condition. This being true, it will be understood also that the rough body 10 of rubber laid upon the foundation 11 of the tire does not initially fill the portion of the mold cavity it eventually fills. Therefore, when the rubber tube 1-2is iniated it is expanded from the condition shown in dotted lines Fig. IIto the condition shown 1n full lines in the saine view, and as a consequencethe -uiass of rubber in thc body 10 is forced out-f wardly to the wall of the mold cavity thereby beroiuing shaped 'to the desired form U5 ready for vulcanization and the completion of the tire liaying a very thick rubber tread portion and an annular air cushion cavity.

I clai1n: i 1. The herein described iinprpvrrhent in f of movement on each other when the tube is i. the art of iiiaking tires, which consists in portions.loi-ated between said tube and the outer ciicleof the raw tire, the overlapping tion to pern'iit the circulation of liuid'under y raw rubber.

fining within said structure, between lsaid the art of making tires, which consists. in portions ofsaid envelop being free to inove roughly'forming an annulusof raw rubber around a suitable annular foundation, pelaoii'ig a deflated annular tube` iwitliin ani'en? velop having overlapping portions capable ducing fluid under pressureinto said eX- tire structure, and finallyV curing 'the4 raw rubber.

4. The herein described improvement in the art off-making tires, which consists in being inflated, confining saidl annular tube and envelop vvitliinsaid structure,v between said anniiliis of irawi'iibbe and said foundalayers of fabric, roughly laying an annulus ofV raw rubber around sald structure,A be tween said annii'lus of raw rubber and said pressure in an annular course throughout the circle of the iincured tire structure, in-

troducing fluid under pressure into the tube to give thc desired shape to the tire structure, and finally curiiigtlie'raw rubber.

2. Thelierein described improvement in the ai't of making tires. whichconsists in roughly forming an annulus of raw rubber around a suitable foundation, confining.y within said structure, between said aiiniiliis of raw rubber and said .foundation a de` flatcd expansible tube inclosed in an envelop having overlapping portions adapted to iiiove toward the opposite sides of the tire structure when the tube is being inflated, introducing fluid i-iiider pressure iiito said expansible tube to give the desi'ed shape to the tire structure, and finally curing said said elements in a siiitableiriold, introducing` fluid under pressure into said flattened annular tube to expand the latter, to give the desired shape to A.the tire structure, and finally/curing said raw rubber.

5. Av mold ofy the character described each having annular grooves in its opposing the opposing grooves'of thev 4sections spanning the gaps between the sections, the said head rings having sliding engagement with faces of the inold sections parallel With the side faces of the rings, the Said mold being provided with four tire receiving. walls, two of which areforiiied by the opposing mold ,-5. The herein `described improvement in roughly forming an annulus of raw rubber` 'around a suitable annular foundation, con` l being foi-ined by said head rings.

MARK A. DEES. In the presence ofi A. J. ,MCCAULEL F. B. LINN.

aiinlilus of raw rubber and said foundation a deflated expansible tube inclosed `in a fabric envelop havingoverlapping marginal toward the opposite sides ofthe 'tire struc* ture when the tube is being inflated, introl forming an annular inner rfoundation of foundation, conlining a flattened annular vtube within said foundation, placing all of` pansible tube to give the desired Shape to the no comprising a pair ofv opposing inold sections face adjacent the'inner and outer margins oil the mold section, and head rings fitting i'n sections,I the other two tire receiving Walls i' 

